Political Revolutions Effects

Effects of the French Revolution Development of Mass Armies Wars were now wars fought by entire nations and became more destructive Spread of Nationalism Napoleon’s armies spread the principles of the Revolution beyond France, showing what a people could accomplish if united The French were hated as oppressors in those areas they dominated Shaped the political boundaries in the Atlantic World

Effects of the French Revolution Congress of Vienna (1814) After defeating Napoleon, Allied powers met to decide how to proceed with ruling Europe Principle of legitimacy In order to reestablish peace & stability in Europe it was necessary to restore legitimate monarchs and preserve traditional institutions A conservative reaction

New Ideologies Conservatism: favored obedience to political authority, organized religion was crucial to social order, hated revolutionary upheavals, and were unwilling to accept liberal demands for civil liberties and representative governments and the nationalistic aspirations The larger society took precedence over individual rights, society must be orderly and tradition remained the best guide for order Became the philosophy of hereditary monarchs, government bureaucracies, land-owning aristocracies, and organized religions

Political Ideologies Liberalism: common denominator among liberal beliefs was that people should be as free from restraint as possible

Political Ideologies Political liberalism: protection of civil liberties or basic freedoms for all people that included equality before the law, freedom of assembly, press, and speech, and freedom from arbitrary arrest All of this must be guaranteed by a written document Religious toleration and the separation of church and state Right of peaceful opposition to government and the making of laws by a representative legislature elected by qualified voters Advocated by the growing middle-class and prosperous industrialists who sought to break the political power of the entrenched interests